Untethered
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: She leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to each eye. I won't let them take you away from me ever again, she promised softly, touching her nose to his. I'll always keep you safe. I promise, Bobby. My preemptive strike against Untethered...


Okay, everyone, this is my preemptive strike against Thursday's new ep, Untethered. I'm excited, but worried at the same time... But really excited. And worried. Hehehehe. It's gonna be good. Here's what I seriously hope will happen...

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Thanks go out to Paige, who sat up with me and helped me write most of the dialogue in the final scene. Thanks, chicky!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Hundreds of different screams reached Alex's ears, but one rang above all the others. She knew that scream, and it sent a shudder of pure terror down her spine. But she wasn't about to stop. As she continued on, his screams grew louder, making her sick to her stomach. _I'm coming, Bobby_, she thought, ignoring the other officers around her.

She continued down the halls, following the gut wrenching sound of her partner's screams, until she finally skidded to a stop in front of one of the identical looking doors. Grabbing the handle, she prayed that luck was on her side, and the door was unlocked. She pulled the handle, a brief rush of relief pouring over her as she pushed the door open.

The bright light blinded her for a moment, and the screams reached her ears again. A quick sweep of the room lead her to the corner furthest from the door, and her shoulders sagged. As gently as she could, she called, "Bobby?"

The kind voice reached his ears, immediately cutting off his screams, and he shook his head. It was a hallucination, another side affect from the drugs that constantly assaulted his body. He huddled further in the corner as the shadows swept over the floor.

She took another step, holstering her gun as she murmured, "Bobby? Can you hear me?"

Alex... Now he knew it was a hallucination. He retreated further into himself, shielding his head with his arms.

She continued to close the distance between them, until she was directly beside him. With a silent sigh of relief, she sat down close to him. "Bobby, you're safe now. I'm here," she murmured, brushing her fingertips over his back.

As her hand made contact with his back, he jumped. _You can't feel hallucinations_... He dared to raise his head and look at her.

She finally saw his eyes, and she had to stifle a sob as she continued to caress his back. "It's me, Bobby," she whispered, bringing her other hand to cup his bearded cheek. "I'm here. I'm going to get you out of here. I'm going to take you home."

He shuddered and leaned into her warm hand. "Eames..."

At his whisper, she shifted to her knees and drew him tightly against her, one hand clutching the ragged jumpsuit he was wearing, while the other buried itself in his oily curls. "Shh, shh," she shushed him gently, rocking a little as he buried his face in her shoulder and clung to her.

The door creaked open, and every muscle in Bobby's body tensed. He knew that sound. They were coming back with more drugs, and they were going to take Alex away from him. He began shaking violently against Alex and kept his face in her shoulder. Maybe if he held onto her, they couldn't take him away. Or maybe this was really another dream. Maybe...

Alex felt her partner tense in her arms, and her head shot up. No one was going to take him away from her. Never again. She saw Ross enter the room uneasily, and she glared at him. But he took another step closer, and Bobby burrowed further into her arms.

He was terrifying her partner, whether he meant to or not, and she wasn't going to allow it. "Get out," she hissed lowly.

"Detective," he started in a warning voice, and she narrowed her eyes.

"No, get out!" she repeated in a louder voice, startling her partner. Immediately she squeezed him and shushed him gently.

Ross watched her for a moment longer, then slipped back out of the room, shutting the door behind himself. When the door closed, Bobby jumped again, and Alex pulled him tighter to her.

"Bobby... Bobby, it's okay now," she murmured, gently rocking him back and forth. "They're not going to hurt you ever again. I won't let them. I've got you now. I've got you."

He grabbed the front of her shirt in his trembling hands, reveling in the warmth and safety she was readily offering. His voice was hoarse from screaming, but he managed to whisper against her shoulder, "I want to go home, Eames. Please... can we go home?"

She rested her cheek against the top of his head and exhaled deeply. "Yes, Bobby. I'm going to take you home. But we have to get up and get out of here first. Can you stand up?" she asked gently.

He froze, then nodded very slightly.

She hugged him again before slowly releasing him and pushing herself to her feet. Once she was on her feet, she offered him her hand. "Come on, Bobby. I'll help you up," she murmured.

He stared at her offered hand for a moment, then slowly took it, using the wall to support his weight as he pushed himself unsteadily to his feet. His legs threatened to give out, but she quickly grabbed his arm and pulled it around her, steadying him gently.

"Good job, Bobby," she said warmly, thrilled inwardly. Her arm slid around his waist, and she urged him to take a step.

The process was painstakingly slow, but she didn't care. All she was focused on was getting him out of the hell hole he had been trapped in for too long.

Finally they reached the door, and as she laid her hand on the metal handle, she said softly, "Bobby, there's going to be a lot of people out there. But they're not going to hurt you. They want to help, and they helped me find you. They're not going to touch you. I won't let them, if you don't want them to." She took a breath. "Are you ready?"

He trembled involuntarily, but nodded, and she slowly opened the door, walking out first.

The entire squad was waiting tentatively outside, and when Alex appeared, they leaned in hopefully. She looked around, then said in a quiet voice, "He's scared, and I think there are still drugs in his system. He's not recognizing anyone, so please... don't touch him."

Dozens of heads nodded, and she disappeared back into the room, reappearing with a terrified Bobby Goren directly behind her, as if she were protecting him.

He eyed them warily, and from the crowd, Mike Logan appeared. For a moment, the two men stared at each other. Then Mike said, "Good to see you, Goren."

Recognition flickered in Bobby's eyes, but he remained silent, allowing Alex to guide him down the hall and through the doors, into the sunlight.

With the other members of the Major Case squad behind them, Alex led Bobby to an awaiting SUV and pulled the backdoor open. With gentle hands, she urged him to climb inside. Then she climbed in herself and settled into the seat beside him, slightly surprised when he launched himself at her and buried himself in her arms again.

Ross climbed into the driver's seat, and Mike slid into the passenger's seat. The engine roared to life, and they quickly drove out of the parking lot of the mental institution.

Once they were a good distance away, Mike turned and looked at Alex, who was cradling her partner and gently stroking his hair as she spoke soft words he couldn't make out.

"Is he okay?" he asked gently, and Alex slowly raised her head.

"Just get us as far away from here as you can. He needs to be checked out, then I'm taking him home," she said firmly, lowering her chin to her partner's head.

Mike nodded and turned around in the seat, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence, except for Alex's murmured reassurances and Bobby's frightened breathing.

CICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICICI

After reaching the hospital and settling Bobby in a hospital room, Alex was standing in front of the doctor, her arms crossed defensively and her eyes narrowed.

"You can't sedate him," she growled. "He's been drugged and imprisoned for the last week and a half, and I won't let you come near him with any needles."

"Miss Eames, I understand this. But from the way your captain spoke, we cannot examine him for injuries without sedation," the doctor protested.

"I'm his medical proxy. And I'm not going to let you sedate him."

The doctor frowned, and her face softened. Rubbing her temple, she said, "Look... he's my partner. I know him better than anyone. Just give me a chance. Please?"

He studied her for several long moments, then conceded, "Okay. But if he shows any signs of outbursts or violence, I'm going to sedate him."

Nodding reluctantly, she turned her back on him and walked over to the bed. Bobby looked up at her, and she smiled and rested her hand on his head. "Bobby... Dr. Jacobs needs to look at you, to make sure you're not hurt. Are you okay with that?"

He dropped his gaze to his hands and didn't answer.

She chewed on her lip, then made up her mind. Moving slowly so she didn't startle him, she raised herself up onto the bed and settled in against his side. Then she eased an arm around his shoulders and softly kissed his temple.

As soon as she brushed her lips against his temple, he turned in the bed and buried himself in her arms, settling his head against her shoulder.

She adjusted herself in the bed, pulling her legs up as she said, "Bobby?"

He finally nodded against her, and she looked at Jacobs. "He's ready."

The doctor nodded back at her, then made his way over to the bed.

Bobby shuddered against Alex as Jacob's hands moved over his body, and he clung tighter to her, but didn't move away from the prying hands.

"You're doing good, Bobby," she whispered, stroking his hair. "You're doing good. I'm proud of you."

Finally Jacobs pulled away and looked at Alex. "He's got... some extensive bruising," he said quietly. "But the good news is that nothing's broken. I will... need to take some blood, and he'll have to stay until the drugs have worked their way out of his system."

He pulled a syringe out of his pocket and looked to Alex for permission.

She tightened her arms around her frightened partner and kissed his head again. "Bobby, I need you to be calm for me, okay?"

"Why?" His normally strong voice trembled, and she chewed her lip.

"Dr. Jacobs has to draw some blood to see what's in your system, so I can take you home. Are you okay with that?"

He stiffened against her, but silently held his arm out, keeping his face pressed tightly against Alex's shoulder.

Jacobs swiftly and expertly slid the needle into Bobby's arm, and when the syringe was full, he pulled it away and covered the spot with a bandage.

When he let go of Bobby's arm, Bobby jerked it away and slid it around Alex's waist, pulling her closer to him as he struggled to keep a reign on his emotions.

Alex gently pulled him back against the pillows, murmuring soft reassurances as the door shut again.

Time passed indeterminably, until the door opened again, and a nurse popped her head in the door. "I'm sorry, Miss, but visiting hours are over in five minutes."

She shook her head. "No, I can't leave my partner. He won't react well if I leave."

"I'm sorry, but rules are rules."

She glared at the nurse with fire in her eyes, then slowly slid away from her partner.

He felt Alex leave his arms, and a choked cry of panic escaped his throat. Immediately he struggled to push himself upright, and the heart monitor by his bed spiked dangerously.

She glared at the nurse again, then returned to her original position, gently shushing her distressed partner. "Hey, it's okay," she murmured, rubbing slow circles over his back. "I'm right here. I won't leave again. Just calm down."

The nurse hurried over to the bed, pulling a syringe from her pocket and reaching out to grab Bobby's arm.

Alex's eyes narrowed, and she spat out, "Don't you dare sedate him!"

The nurse returned her glare. "He's a danger to himself and others. I have no choice."

Alex reached over and pulled the blanket tightly around her partner, then draping her arm protectively over him. "I'm his medical proxy, you're not going to sedate him, and I'm not leaving him," she growled with an air of finality in her voice.

"With the drugs in his system, he's unpredictable and dangerous," the nurse argued.

Alex shook her head. "He's not going to hurt me. And the only way he'll be dangerous is if I'm not here. So the only obvious conclusion is for me to stay here."

"Withdrawal will make him dangerous. He'll lash out-"

"He won't hurt me!" Alex snapped. "I can handle him."

The nurse looked at her skeptically. "You can handle a man nearly three times your size while he's going through withdrawal?"

"Just watch me."

"You're giving me no choice. I'm going to call security."

Alex glared at her. "You do that. And while you're at it, try and sedate him, and I'll have you charged with assault, because I'm not giving my consent for you to sedate him."

The nurse stared at her for a few moments, then put the syringe back into her pocket and stalked away from the bed and out of the room.

Alex watched her leave, then kissed Bobby's temple. He was shaking and a thin layer of sweat covered him. She wasn't sure if he could even hear her, but she murmured, "It's okay, Bobby. I'm right here. I won't let anyone touch you." She stroked his hair gently and rocked him slowly in her arms.

The morning finally came, and when Alex opened her eyes, she was surprised to see a pair of sleepy brown eyes watching her intently. A bright smile curved her mouth, and she reached out and gently touched his cheek. "Hi."

He leaned into her touch. "Hi."

Her thumb moved lightly across his skin as she whispered, "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap." He moved closer to her and rested his forehead against hers. "But you're here, and that makes it better."

Tears flooded her eyes, but she blinked them away and drew him into a warm embrace. "I thought I'd never see you again," she whispered, pressing her face into his chest.

"I-I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't mean to do that to you." He tucked her into his arms and pressed a soft kiss against the top of her head.

She gripped him tightly and rested her ear against his heart. She had been so afraid that she had lost him for good, and that she'd never get the chance to tell him things that she had been forced to face since she had gotten that call. "They tried to make me leave you," she said in a shaky voice. "They were going to sedate you and make me leave."

He struggled with that thought as he held her tighter to him. "Thank you," he finally managed.

She looked at him curiously. "What for, Bobby?"

"F-for not leaving... and for getting me out of there."

"You remember?"

"N-not everything. But I remember y-you."

Her heart leapt, and she snuggled closer to him. "Bobby... can I tell you something?"

He nodded. "What, Alex?"

She hesitated for a moment, then leaned close and pressed her lips softly against his, framing his face with her hands. When they broke apart, she murmured, "I love you, Bobby."

His eyes remained closed as he replayed her words over and over again in his mind. She loved him... She cared for him, like he cared for her. Yet he couldn't find the words to describe what she meant to him. A long silence passed, and finally he managed to say, "I love you, too, Alex. I really do."

She smiled softly, one hand caressing his cheek while the other slid under his shirt and gently traced circles over his back.

After a night of very little sleep, he was exhausted, and his eyes slid shut against his will.

She leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to each eye. "I won't let them take you away from me ever again," she promised softly, touching her nose to his. "I'll always keep you safe. I promise, Bobby."

He smiled softly as she continued to encourage him toward sleep with gentle caresses and kisses. He finally couldn't fight it anymore, and he slept peacefully for the first time in too long, cradled protectively in the arms of his partner. His world.

The End

A/N: Well, that was shipperrific! I'm all psyched about this ep! Maybe it will be something like this. Come on, Wolf! Throw us a frickin' bone here, man! Review please, people!


End file.
